Using 2 off camera flashes!?

[Nessy024]

So I have photographed about 8 weddings and the last one I wanted to try something new. I took my 2 flashes and put them on each side of the room and slaved them. But as soon as the lights went off for the dancing part, I had a very hard time having my camera focus on people.

So I suppose during the dinner part its good to use but what do wedding photographers do during the dance part?? Any advice would be wonderful! Thanks!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Are you using fast focusing gear and lenses? I haven't had that prob indoors with my D700/D800, and the last reception area was fairly dark. I guess if i did have that prob I'd manual focus or such, or hit a candle on the table or such

 

[Big Mike]

I usually use two lights. One on the camera and one somewhere around the room.

Having a flash on the camera gives me a superior AF assist light, which helps to focus in that low light environment. Also by having a flash on the camera, it allows me a lot of freedom for my lighting angles. I can alter the power/exposure of the on-camera flash to make it either a key or fill compared to the other flash (or ambient lighting). I can bounce it or shoot directly turn it off.

I like to position myself so that my subjects are between me and my off-camera light (or the area that the OCF is illuminating). This makes the remote light a great back/hair/accent light and then I can use my on-camera for as much fill as a I want.

I have, at times, used one, two or even three remote lights with no camera mounted flash. This makes for easier shooting (less thinking) and consistent lighting, but it gets boring as well.

One photographer I work with, for the first dance, always has an assistant kneel down on the ground and hold up a slaved flash. The assistant then has to move around to keep on the opposite side of the couple from him. It's hard on the knees.